Destiny
by The Author Formally Known As Queen Sora
Summary: In a fatal car accident, Jeri’s father, stepmother and half brother are killed. She is the only one who survives. How will she cope?
1. All Alone

**Destiny, Chapter 1: All Alone Again**

"Forget it, Dad! You just don't understand!!" A fourteen-year-old girl yelled angrily. "Jeri, talk to me with some respect, damn it! I'm your father!" Jeri's father looked away from the road and lost control of his car. It skidded on the icy road and smashed into a guarder rail. 

Drones of the world around her softly echoed in Jeri's head. "Jeri? Jeri, can you hear me?" A voice asked. Jeri opened her sparkling ruby eyes. "Ta… ka... to…?" She managed out, recognizing the voice. Relief painted the cinnamon-haired boy's features. "Wha… what happ… ened…?" She murmured. "You were in a car accident. You crashed into a guarder rail." He explained. "Whe… re's… my… dad…?" Takato's smile faded. "Takato?" She questioned. He looked away. "No…" She said catching on to Takato's hesitance. "No…" He looked back at her, teary-eyed. "I'm sorry, Jeri… you were the only one… who survived… I'm only here because I saw it on the news…" "N… n… no…" She sobbed. "I'm so sorry." Takato said sympathetically, holding Jeri as she cried. 

A few days later, Jeri was released from the hospital. Nearly whisked away by Social Services, after some convincing from Rika, Rika's grandmother volunteered for Jeri to come life with them. And so she did. But Jeri had changed from the cheery girl she had been after their return to the real world, she was similar to how she acted in the Kernel Sphere. Again, she had lost the people she loved. 

The lonely teenage girl laid on her futon, staring numbly up at the ceiling. Her beautiful ruby eyes, once sparkling with hope, were now dull, empty orbs of crimson that glistened with tears. "Jeri, are you okay?" Came Rika's voice hesitantly. Jeri just muttered and rolled over onto her side. With Jeri's back now facing her, Rika just sighed sadly. "Good night, Jeri." She said before drifting into a light sleep. Once she knew Rika was asleep, she stood up, pulling her blanket around her shoulders. She then slid her slippers over her chilly feet and wandered over to the door. 

She pushed the door and amado out of her way and stood on the engawa. She watched as the wind swirled the snowflakes around, the cold not seeming to phase her. "Why didn't I die?" She spat coldly. "Why am I still here?" Tears softly fell from her eyes. "I'm better off dead… everyone I love is… except…" Her voice drifted off. "Even though he's still alive… I can't tell him… I can't show affection towards him… then… then he'd die too…" She fell to her knees and cried. "Jeri, what are you doing out here in this snowstorm?" Rika asked worriedly approaching the girl. "Go away." She spat bitterly. "You'll just die too if you get close to me! You'll leave me alone like everyone else!" She said. "No I won't, Jeri!! I'm your friend! Friends don't turn their backs on their friends when they're in need." Rika said, letting her guards down and showing her gentler side. "I promise, Jeri. I won't leave you." She said hugging the auburn haired girl as she cried. "It's alright, Jeri, don't worry… it's alright…" Jeri pulled away from Rika. "Please, Rika, you're my best friend. I don't wanna take a chance on losing you too… you should just stay away from me." And with that, Jeri went inside. Rika sighed sadly. "We all care for you, Jeri…  we're not going to just let you isolate yourself…" She whispered even though she knew Jeri couldn't hear her. Little did Rika know… Jeri did. 

As Rika laid down, she fell asleep worried about Jeri. And, she could've sworn, that she heard a soft "Thank you…"        

Author's Note: No, this is _not _a Rika/Jeri. It's a Rika/Jeri friendship fic… and a romance between Jeri and one of the guys. But not a Rika/Jeri… ew… I promise a longer chapter next time!! And just to note, a futon is one of those mats they sleep on… like Rika does, an amado is a rain door, which people who live in temples and stuff with those light doors put up during storms and an engawa is a veranda.


	2. I'm Sorry

Destiny, Chapter 2: I'm Sorry… 

Jeri slowly buttoned the shirt that matched her navy blue pleated skirt as she got ready for school. "Jeri, after what you've been through, maybe you shouldn't go to school just yet." Rika said, adorning a different school uniform required at her all-girls school. "I already missed four days, Rika." Jeri said in the same voice she had spoken with since the accident, a soft drone deprived of all emotion. "Okay… if you're sure…" She sighed in defeat. "Do you want me to at least walk with you to school?" She offered. "No, it's okay… your school's in the opposite direction… plus, I'd prefer to walk alone, thanks…" She said, putting on her warm winter jacket, gloves, hat and scarf. "Okay." Rika said. 

Gasps and surprised stares were aimed at Jeri as she stood at her locker. She just ignored them and continued what she was doing. "Jeri." Her friend Nikki said joining her. "Oh, hi Nikki…" She said. "We thought you'd stay out longer… after… what happened…" Nikki said hesitantly. Jeri didn't answer. "Um, so, are… you okay?" "My father, my stepmother and my half brother just died… but yes, I'm peachy!" She said coldly. "You don't have to be so mean, Jeri…" Nikki said walking off. Jeri just turned and walked to her first class.

'They don't know how it feels…' She thought. 'They don't know how it feels to your mother die… and then your digimon… and then your father, stepmother and half brother…' She thought. "Miss Katou?" Her teacher asked. Jeri looked up. "If you're not up to focusing on the class, you can go home." She offered kindly. "No… no I'm fine… really…" She said. "Alright." And with that, the teacher continued teaching the lesson. Jeri continued to remain in her own world, thinking. 'I don't wanna be in this world anymore…' She sighed, laying her head down on the desk. 

When school ended, Jeri collected her things and left the school, avoiding the others, but especially… avoiding _him_. Even though she loved him with all her heart… even though all she wanted to do was be with him… she couldn't. He probably didn't feel the same way anyway. Why would he? She was a crazy lunatic who ran around talking to her hand. Who could ever care for? Not him. He was fairly popular amongst girls, so he could probably have any girl he desired. She pulled her jacket closer to her shaking shoulders. But they weren't shaking from the cold. The cold didn't affect her. Her heart was now cold. They shook as each sob escaped her. "Why?" She cried out. "Why am I destined to be alone? It's not like I've ever done anything to deserve it… right? No… I've been a good person… so why do bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people?" She wondered aloud. "Jeri!" She heard a voice call. Her mind raced. 'No… I have to keep away from him…' She convinced herself. Even though her heart ached and she wanted to shout out, "Hi! Wanna walk home together?" They always would. They always walked home together. That is, before she was shown once more that she's destined to lose all she cared for. "Jeri!" He persistently called again. She just continued to ignore him and walk back to Rika's house. "I know you can hear me!" Suddenly, his hand on her shoulder stopped her. "How are you doing, Jeri?" He asked worriedly. "Just leave me alone…" She said pushing his hand off her shoulder. "Just leave me alone, okay?" She repeated before running off. "But… wait, Jeri! Please!!" He called.

She ran as fast as she could all the way home, holding in the tears. She finally arrived at Rika's house. She headed straight for the bedroom that she shared at Rika, knowing no one would be home for about twenty more minutes. And that's when Jeri cried more. She cried letting all her pain out. "I'm sorry…" She cried as the tears streamed down her face. "I'm sorry, Takato…" 

Author's note: And the love interest is revealed… if you hadn't assumed already. *shrugs* I just love Jurato. ^.^ Isn't it the cutest couple in the whole entire universe!? Anyway… another short chapter… damn me… I'm just not good with whole concept of long chapters I guess. ^^ I promise Rika's love interest will also be revealed in the next chapter!  Anyway, please review!  


	3. Playing with Knives

Destiny, Chapter 3: Playing with Knives 

(just to note: This chapter is the only one in the story that's PG-13… with suicidal junk…  but don't worry, future chapters will return to PG.) 

"So Rika won't be home till 7:00…" Jeri noted softly as she hung the phone up. Rika had plans with Ryo (author's note: Sorry to anyone who wanted Henrika… ;_;). "Ms. Nonaka won't be home till 7:00 'cause she has her photo shoots… and Rika's grandmother won't be home till 6:00 since she's shopping…" She murmured to herself. "What to do in the meantime…" She glanced around the kitchen and her eyes fell upon a relatively sharp knife. Unconsciously, she reached her pale hand out and grabbed it. She inspected the gleaming blade, then slid it against her wrist without thinking. She watched as the ruby colored liquid spilled from her wrist, her pale peach skin slowly being mixed with the red color. As she watched her blood drip onto the table, she felt her pain leave her body with it. It made the pain go away. She slid the knife against her wrist again and again… she hardly noticed the blood now oozing onto her clothes. All she knew was the cold steel of the knife's blade against her skin made her heart stop aching so much. "Why…? Why does everyone I care for die…?" She sobbed as she continued to mutilate her wrist. She started to feel fatigued. In the midst of misery, she didn't put it together that she was going to pass out from lack of blood. "I can't be with Takato… I can't be friends with Rika… I lost my parents… I lost my digimon… I lost my brother… I can't be near _anyone_…" She kept repeating to herself darkly as she continued to watch herself bleed. Tears slid down her cheeks and mixed with her blood. "This world is better off… without me…" She murmured before everything went black.

Author's note: Thiiiiiiis was extra short… o.o; well, I just made it to kind of… have a plot for the fourth chapter…  believe me, this is as dark as I can get… o.o;;;; too cheerful for writing an angst fic… = P well, anyway, pleaaaaaase review! ^^; 


	4. A Trip to the Hospital

Destiny, Chapter 4: A Trip to the Hospital 

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"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!?" A frantic voice sobbed. "I don't know, goggle brain! I was out with Ryo!!" A feminine voice spat. "If anything happens to her…" The first voice whispered. "I don't know what I'd do…" The voices reached Jeri and she slowly forced her drooping eyes open. "Jeri!" The first voice – Takato – said joyously, seeing her conscious. "Thank God!" The second voice – Rika – said in relief. "Why did you do… _that_?" Takato asked hesitantly, gesturing to her bandaged wrists. "I'm still alive…" She groaned in a tone that sounded similar to annoyance. "You were trying to commit suicide?" Rika gapped. "Yes!" Jeri said matter-of-factly. "I'm sick of this world!! I can't take it!!! I wanna be with my mom!" She cried. "I can't be near you guys anyway! You'll… you'll just leave me too! Everyone does! My destiny is to be alone!!" She said. "No, Jeri, that's not-" Takato began. "SHUT UP!" She screamed. "JUST… JUST SHUT UP AND STAY AWAY FROM ME! FOREVER!!" She said. Takato looked like someone had just killed everyone and everything he had ever cared about. He looked _heartbroken. _"If… that's what you really want, Jeri…" He said, his voice filled with pain. "I'd do anything to make you happy… and if staying away from you would… I'll never bother you again… ever…" He choked out as tears filled his eyes. "Bye…" He murmured before running off. "Ta… kato… wait…." She murmured, teary-eyed as she saw what pain she was putting him in. Rika just watched silently as one of her dearest friends started to cry. "Jeri…" She said after a few moments. "You have to stop pushing us away. Losing your mom, Leomon, your dad… doesn't mean you're going to lose us…" She tried to console her utterly depressed friend. "I'm scared, Rika…" She said confiding in her friend. "I've lost so much already… after having such bad things happen to me… it's hard to learn to trust again…" She sighed, looking at the white bandage around her wrist that was probably scarring over the cuts. "It's hard to trust that everything will be okay…" 

Author's note: I don't think this will ever have long chapters… it's a fic that needs short chapters or it'll get boring to quickly… well… review!! ^^ 

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	5. Thoughts

Destiny, Chapter 5: Thoughts 

Author's note: I have the perfect ending for this fic… but since I think this fic's all to short, I'm prolonging it a bit… so this is a 'filler' chapter… and anyway, it'll work well leading about to the final chapter. 

They released Jeri from the hospital the next morning. She unraveled the bandage and looked at the grotesque scarring skin. She sighed sadly and put a new, clean bandage on them. "Maybe Rika's right…" She murmured to herself as she finished bandaging her right wrist. "Maybe I do need to stop pushing them away…" She started on her left wrist. "Why did that hurt Takato so badly…?" _"I'd do anything to make you happy…" _She blushed. "Anything… to make me happy." She sighed. "Maybe he cares for me more than I think he does?" She walked out of the bathroom and sat down on her futon, to think. "And Rika… she's been so supportive about my insanity…" She murmured, laying back. "I don't deserve them…" She said. "Hey Jeri." She moved her head to look behind her without getting up. "Oh, hi Ryo." She said a bit surprised. "How are you doing?" He asked concerned. "Uh, as fine as a girl who's family is dead and just tried to commit suicide can be." She said with a forced smile. He smiled back. "Ryo!" Rika called. "We better get going!" "Right, Rika! Sorry!!" Ryo turned back to Jeri. "If you need anything…" He said. She nodded, still forcing herself to smile. "Thanks, bye." "See ya." He said before walking off. "Ryo's a nice guy…" She noted. "Like it was unpredictable that those two would get together…" She snickered to herself. _"I'd do anything to make you happy…" _"Why can't I forget what Takato said to me…?" She said softly. "He's… always been like that… so kind to me…"

"Be brave, Jeri… Part of me will always be with you… Remember, you have a lion's heart…" And with that, Leomon turned into data that Beelzemon soon absorbed. Jeri began to cry uncontrollably. Her digimon was gone, dead. "Guilmon, digivolve to Mega!" She heard an enraged Takato command. She was surprised, why did kind, sensitive Takato sound so enraged? "Digivolve!" Did Takato care for her that much…? 

Though memories returned of how Guilmon had dark-digivolved into that… beast… and Jeri had told Takato stay away from her. _"Don't come near me! Guilmon was so sweet and cute! Look what you did to him!!" _She sighed. "I was so mean to Takato after Leomon died… I was so mean to all of them… like I am now…" She said rolling over onto her side. "I'm so confused…" Suddenly, the phone rang. She stood up, walked over and answered it. "Hello?" "Hello, Jeri. This is Takato's mother, Mrs. Matsuki… have you seen him by chance? He hasn't been home since he went to see you in the hospital last night and… *thud* Jeri? Jeri?" Jeri just stood there, shaking, and took no notice to the phone hitting the ground. "Takato's… missing…?"   


	6. Revelation

**Destiny, Chapter 6: Revelation**

Jeri had rambled a quick excuse to Mrs. Matsuki, then hung up without waiting for a reply. Now she was running through the streets of West Shinjuku in search of Takato. "This is all my fault!" She said aloud. She stopped and thought for a minute. "I'll go ask Kazu and Kenta if they've seen him!" She concluded before racing off. 

"So… you haven't seen Takato?" She sighed. "Nope, sorry, Jeri… I haven't seen him since yesterday." She frowned. "Thanks anyway, Kenta…" She muttered before walking up. 

"YOU'RE HIS BEST FRIEND, KAZU!" She yelled. "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW WHERE HE IS!!" Kazu backed away. "Sheesh, Jeri, I don't keep a radar lock on him… calm down!!!" He replied in his usual sarcastic tone. Her eyes filled with tears. "I can't calm down!! It's my fault he ran off! I keep pushing him away… because… I don't want him to die too… I couldn't bare if I… lost… the… the last person I loved…" She mentally slapped herself as she focused on her shoes, realizing of all the people to first tell she liked Takato, she told _Kazu_. But instead she heard Kazu laugh. Her head shot up. "Why are you laughing!?" She asked angrily. "You say it as if it isn't obvious!" He chuckled. His eyes softened. "Jeri, I know you like Takato. The way you two act around each other… you can't keep pushing people away… try giving someone one last chance, try letting Takato have your heart." 

As Jeri continued to look for Takato, she thought about what Kazu said. She was very surprised. 'All of people… it makes Kazu sound like he has more depth than he really does…' _"… you can't keep pushing people away…" _"Rika said the same thing…" She murmured to herself. And the realization finally hit her. 'I do… they're right… I have to keep pushing people away…' Now more than anything did Jeri need to find Takato.


	7. The Search for Takato

Destiny, Chapter 7: The Search for Takato 

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Jeri sat down on a bench, exhausted from looking. She checked her watch. 4:30pm. She had been looking for almost an hour. There was one place she hadn't checked… the park. Once she had regained some energy, she rose to her feet and walked across the street to the park. 

"I hope he's okay…" She whispered tearfully. "If anything happened to him…" She trailed off in heartbreak. She continued to walk, as tired as she was. "Takato?" She called. No answer. "Takato? Answer me! Please!!" No answer. "Okay… where in the park would Takato be? The playground? No… near Guilmon's hideout? Not now that Guilmon lives at the bakery… Ugh…" She sat down again, leaning against the back of the bench. "I'm so tired…" She yawned softly and closed her eyes for a few moments as she thought. 'I'm so worried about Takato… I have to keep looking…' She opened her eyes and forced himself up from her comfortable seat. "I could check by the lake…" She assumed. And so she headed towards the lake.

She narrowed her eyes as she got closer to the lake. "I see someone… sitting on that bench…" She said to herself. As she got closer, she could make out the figure… messy cinnamon hair, bright ruby eyes… "Takato!" She called running as fast as she could. "Takato, I'm *pant* so glad *pant* I finally found you! I've been so worried!" She reached out to put her hand on his shoulder but he just pulled away. "Ta-Takato…?"   


	8. Her True Destiny

Destiny, Chapter 8: Her True Destiny 

"Takato?" She repeated. "I thought you wanted to me to stay away from you? 'Just shut up and stay away from me forever' were your exact words…" He said icily. "I take it back!" She cried. "You… you gotta believe me, Takato!" She kneeled next to him. "I'm such an idiot for saying those things! I really didn't mean it!!" Tears streamed down Jeri's cheeks. Takato didn't answer. "Ta… ta.. kato…" And then, finally, Jeri broke down in crying, sobbing harder than she had through the entire ordeal. Takato watched her from the corner of his eye. By his expression, it was unable to determine if he felt remorse, or if he could careless about her tears. 

Jeri was surprised when she suddenly felt someone hug her close to them. "Please stop crying… it really breaks my heart…" She heard Takato whisper. She couldn't help it, the tears just kept pouring. "Takato… I-I didn't mean it!! I swear I didn't! I've just… been going through so much! My emotions are all mixed…" She rambled. "Shhh… it's okay…" "But Takato…" She pulled a little away from his embrace so she could look up at his face. "I'm sure about one thing." She told him with sincerity in her voice. "What's that?" He asked confused. "I love you." Takato's mouth slightly opened in shock, then a huge grin broke out across his face. "Oh… Jeri… you… can't imagine how long I've been waiting to her you say that…" He leaned forward, eliminating the space between them, and pressed his lips against hers in a soft, gentle first kiss for the two friends. When they broke apart, Jeri frowned. "Takato… I'm still worried… my destiny… it's for me to lose everyone I love!! I'll die if I lose you though, Takato…" She said, with tears forming in her eyes at the very thought. Takato just smiled. "Jeri… haven't you got it yet? Your destiny isn't for you to be alone… your destiny, is to be with _me_." And with that, their lips met again, for another sweet kiss of many to come. 

Author's note: Hope you enjoyed my first Tamers/Jurato/series fic. ^___^


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